Life-preserver.



S. P. EDMONDS.

LIFE PRESERVER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-20.1915.

Q 1 9 1 82,8% 1 Patented May 9, 1916;

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SAMUEL P. EDMOTVDS, OF CATONSVILLE, MARYLAND:

LIFE-PRESERVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Application filed December 20, 1915. Serial No. 67,895.

To all whomit may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL P. EnMoNns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Catonsville, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Llfe-Preservers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to life-preservers which are adapted to be easily and quickly adjusted to the person.

The. main-purpose of my invention is to provide a life-preserver that will prevent the body from rolling over sidewise or be- 35 ing thrown over forwardly upon the face in a seaway and to insure the head being held in upright position even though the person may have lost consciousness.

.Another object is to provide for an adjustment in the leverage of the forward part of the life-preserverby changing the position of the bulk of the buoyant material with respect to the body, while retaining the important feature first disclosed by me in Patent No. 1,061,275, of securing the members in such a manner that they will be permitted to move upwardly upon the body when in the water.

In the-accompanying drawing, Figure 1 so is a topplan view of a, life-preserver embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation 'of the same and showing the position it will take when first placed over the head; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same.

85 showing the members drawn close to the body and fastened by means of the waist strap; Figs. 4 and 5 are front and side elevations respectively showing the front member bent upon itself to change the leverage to and fastened in this position; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the position of the life-pres'erver .when the person desires .to swim.

The front and rear members or, parts 1 c5 and 2, are substantially rectangular except that the upper end of the front part is deeply notched, thereby providing upwardly projecting horns 3, 3 which extend at each side of the head and serve to receive and to support the same if the person becomes exhausted or is tossed about by the waves. Inasmuch as the. back of the'head should be well supported, I construct the rear member with a straight horizontal edge which 65 rises and supports the head as soon as the life-preserver reaches the water. As will be observed, the horns which support the rear member by the straps 4, 4, tend to lift the sldes of the top edge of the rear member and the sag or yielding of the latter causes it to conform to the back of the head thereby forming an eflicient support. The intermediate portions of the rear member are also supported by the straps 6, 6, which are drawn through rings or buckles 8, 8,

on the front member and fastened. These straps not only draw the front and rear members closer together but they fit the sides of the neck snugly and prevent any tendency of the life-preserver to be accio dentally lifted over the head. Inasmuch as the pillow-like compartments are preferably filledwith silk-floss or other appropriate buoyant material, the wearer does not suffer any discomfort from contact with the various parts, even when tossed about by the waves.

If the person desires to be active in the water as when swimming, the front part is permitted to remain in the position shown'80 in Figs. 3 and 6; if, however, it is desired to rest or if the'person becomes exhausted or 1f the waves tend to throw one forward, the lower end of the front member is folded o r bent upwardly and secured in this position by fastening the snap-hooks 9, 9 over the rings 8. v The efiect of this is to concentrate the main bulk of the buoyant material; directly in front of the chest, the increased leverage causing the body to be inclined 9 I slightly backward, the upward buoyant eflort being largely transmitted to the chin.

As I have previously pointed out, both front and rear members are permitted to slide upwardly over the body toward the head because the parts are secured together by the strap 12 at the waist and there is no other impediment or jacket to restrain and hold the members down.

When the lower portion of the front member is bent upward and secured by the snap hooks 9 in the rings 8, the larger proportion of the buoyant material is concentrated directly in front of the chest, since I make the rear member 2 much smaller, and therefore the greater leverage of the front member will incline the body backwardly into a position somewhat as shown in Fig. 5, thereby lifting the head higher out of the water than when the front portion is extended. The 113 importance of this feature of my invention will be appreciated by those who have had the rear member adjacent the neck straightso that it will engage the back of the head and support it or lift it upward because of the attachment to the horns 3 and also because of the pull or support of the neck straps or tapes 6 which pass over the shoulders close to the neck of the wearer. These tapes 6 can be adjustedin the rings or other fastening devices 8 to draw the upper parts of the front and rear members together after it has been placed over the' wearers head and also to adjust the life preserver to persons of different sizes.

I prefer to make the rear member 2 about half the size of the main body portion of the front member 1 and I provide tapes or straps 12 secured to the lower outer corners of the rear member which pass through rings 14 at the sides at intermediate points of the front member and then may be drawn tightly together and tied as indicated in Fig. 3 to thereby draw the lower portions of the front and rear members closely against the body of the wearer, but nevertheless permit the front and rear members to move upwardly along the body when lifted by the buoyant effort of the water.

' While I have described in detail the particular construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings for the purpose of clearly and definitely disclosing an embodiment of my invention, I am aware that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of my claims and without departing from the spirit of my invention.

1. A.life preserver, comprising front and rear casing members containing a suitable buoyant material, the front member having extensions or horns adapted to project at either side of the head of the wearer, and the rear member having a substantially straight inner edge, and straps connecting said extensions and said rear member.

2. A life preserver, comprising front and rear casing members containing a suitable buoyant material, the front member having either side of the head of the wearer, the

rear member being shorter thalrthe front member and provided with straps or tapes secured at its lower edge and adapted to be fastened to an intermediate part of the front member, straps connecting'said extensions with the adjacent parts of-the rear member, and adjustable means connecting the upper portions of the two members.

4. A life preserver, comprising front and rear members. shoulder straps connecting said members, the rear member being smaller than-the front member and having, straps or tapes extending from the lower edge adapted to be fastened to an intermediate part of the front member, and adjustable-means separate from said shoulder straps for drawing the upper portions of said members together.

5. A life preserver, comprising front and :rear members connected by shoulder straps,

the rear member being smaller than the front member and having straps or tapes extending from the lower edge adaptedto be fastened to an intermediate part of the front member, and detachable means for holding said front member folded or doubled back upon itself.

6. A life preserver, comprising front and rear members connected by shoulder straps, the rear member being substantially rectangular and approximately half the size of the front member and having. straps or tapes extending from the lower part thereof adapted to be fastened to an intermediate part of the front member, adjustable means for drawing the upper portions of said members together, and means-for detachably holding said front member folded or doubled back upon itself.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of a witness.

SAMUEL P. EDMONDS.

Witness: EUGENE 0. BROWN. 

